(RepublicanDaily.org) – North Korea is not a country known for having a sympathetic ruling class. Kim Jong-Un, the nation’s current leader, has presided over a regime that severely limits the freedoms of its people and punishes its critics harshly.
However, the North Korean public saw a very different side to the leader on Saturday, October 10. During a public address to mark the 75th anniversary of his Workers’ Party, Kim became emotional and apologized to his people for shortcomings in his leadership. During his speech, he appeared to remove his glasses to wipe away tears.
Commentators have attributed this unusual display of emotion to a variety of factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has vastly reduced North Korea’s ability to trade, crippling its economy. International sanctions and natural disasters have also hit the country hard this year.
Some have questioned the authenticity of Kim’s emotion, speculating it could be a deliberate ploy to win public sympathy. This lack of trust is unsurprising, especially in light of Kim’s dubious claim that North Korea has not had a single case of COVID-19.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un Says No Coronavirus Cases In His Country https://t.co/1K0S8tLvgx pic.twitter.com/wvmWq3Z5fa
— NDTV (@ndtv) October 10, 2020
Whether this display reflects a coming shift in the balance of power in North Korea is questionable. The Kim regime still exerts close control over every aspect of life in the country. That said, it’s encouraging to see the government is not oblivious to the struggles of its people.
Copyright 2020, RepublicanDaily.org
